Kamina's Journey
by OperationJonny
Summary: Buried and gone, where does Kamina's soul, his fighting spirit, go? His soul embarks on a journey to return to the world he left behind when he died. The world of the dead will try his fighting spirit to determine whether he gets to live again.


He settled into his Ganmen, with a sigh. "So you _can_ do it." Grasping the controls of Gurren, he smiled. The smile was short-lived though, as a burst of blue light erupted from below. Quicker than he could react, he was sliced by an azure blade of energy. With a shout of anguish, his Ganmen was launched into the air, held by this glowing source of energy that had lashed out from nowhere.

Gurren exploded. The world around him slowed, as he felt the heat searing his skin, his life flowing out of the wound running along the side of his chest. He heard the shouts of his younger brother and love flowing into the half-broken communications system the Gurren held. "Bro!" A young voice shouted, filled with worry. "Kamina!?" A female's voice called out, filling his ears.

"Thymilph!? Damn it!" But his retort was again cut short, as he was pelted with his own armament, the sunglasses the Gurren wore being thrown at him by Viral. He was launched across the deck of the Dai-Ganzan, and managed to struggle to his feet. This was nothing, he could survive this yet. "Alkaid Glaive!" He heard coming from Thymilph and the Beastman thrusted his lance at the Gurren.

Barely dodging, Gurren lost its right leg. Kamina grimaced. This was becoming dangerous… without Lagann; this two on one was going to become a hassle. '_No worries, I can do anything.' _Kamina thought to himself as he ignored his massive wound."You're a stubborn man, aren't you?" Thymilph chirped over the communications. "But it's over." He said, triumphantly.

Kamina opened his mouth to say '_Like hell it's over! Over for you, you bastard!', _but again, he was interrupted. "What the hell?" He asked himself as he was swung around and thrown to the ground. "Shit!" Kamina shouted, trying to get Gurren up. But he was too weak; he couldn't urge his machine forward. Before his indomitable spirit could flare up, Thymilph leaped and thrust his energy lance through the mouth of Gurren.

A second shout of pure pain cemented the Gurren Brigade's worst fears. Everyone paused, in awe. Had Kamina really died? Everyone's faces filled with horror, Kamina's death scream broadcast over their entire communications system. Simon's resolve crumbled entirely. "Brother!" Simon shouted in misery, his voice carrying to everyone's ears. Everyone's heart broke that very moment.

Pain and sorrow filled Simon's heart, and flooded out from him through his Lagann, causing the Dai-Ganzan to erupt in a rage of emerald green energy. As if his heart emptied all of its sorrow, pain, and willpower, every beast was flung from within Dai-Ganzan. Even his fellow Gurren Brigade was flung from the deck of the Dai-Ganzan. Entirely relinquishing control, the massive Ganman went berserk, firing off shells aimlessly.

Kamina's eyes were closed, and saw nothing. His body was numb, everything black and dark. Was this the end for the tenacious demon leader? Hearing his beloved younger brother's shout, sight truly returned to him, his eyes opening. Hearing that Simon had lost control and was heading towards a death in the volcano, Kamina felt again.

With a groan, he lifted himself to the Gurren, his blood pouring from his wounds. "Can't I even rest in peace?" He rasped, as he placed himself in his seat again, taking hold of the controls. "SIMON! Snap out of it!" Kamina roared over the comm system. Simon's eyes lifted fast, tears still rushing forth. Suddenly, the Lagann brought up a view window and showed one of the Gurren's arms flying at the Lagann. After being thrown around within the Lagann's cockpit, the view window changed to the image of the Gurren standing, despite its lack of an arm and leg. "Bro, you're alive!" Simon shouted, and Kamina grinned.

"Simon, who do you think _you _are?" He called out, and Simon looked confused. "Isn't your drill the one that'll pierce the heavens, the earth, and through tomorrow? What are you doing messing around here?" He asked, his words instilling courage in his younger brother. "We've won, that big guy is yours now! There's no reason to hold back!" He shouted, and Simon nodded. As soon as Simon declared to the troops that everything was ok and he had regained control, Thymilph attacked and tried to take the Dai-Ganzan back.

"That old beast doesn't know when to give up." He said with a sigh. Kamina was feeling weary already. It was about time he finished this. "Simon, listen…" He began, and Simon was silent, listening to his older brother's sentence. "…Let's finish this in one go. Let's combine as our last time with Gurren Lagann, and settle this. Simon was excited, charging towards the Gurren, fending off a pair of attackers with Gurren's shades.

"Let's go!" Kamina shouted as Simon launched into the air, fusing with Gurren, as the power of Lagann poured through the machine, repairing it and giving Kamina the power to finish this battle. "Whether it's impossible or laughable, great men open up paths to battle!" Kamina began, and Simon picked up. "If there's a wall, we break it down! If there's no path, we make it with these hands!" He shouted, and Kamina's heart beat faster. There was nothing like the spirit of battle to mend a wounded soul.

"The heart's magma burns with flames! This is our everlasting combination! Gurren-Lagann!" The siblings shouted in unison. "Me…" Simon said. "Us!" Kamina shouted. "Who the hell do you think we are!?" They both shouted, as the power of their will caused the volcano in the surroundings erupt with flames akin to the fires of their hearts. The troops cheered in praise of their leader who had managed to somehow escape death, and Yoko looked on happily. "There's no stopping them…" she said with a distant smile.

In an attempt to take back the Dai-Ganzan, Thymilphs remaining soldiers charged the combined Gurren Lagann. "You punks stay back!" He shouted furiously, as the Gurren Lagann shot out drills from every angle of its mechanical frame. Piercing every Ganmen's heart, they exploded shortly thereafter. Attempting to stop the duo, Thymilph raised his spear, firing his Condemn Glaize. "You can't break this hand!" Kamina shouted, as he caught the blast in the palm of Gurren Lagann's hand, deflecting the beams. Kamina smiled, his energy nearly spent.

"Simon, listen…" He began, as he readied his final attack. "Believe in yourself." He said, as his smile grew. "Not you who believes in me. Not me who believes in you, but you who believes in yourself!" He said, and Simon seemed confused. Why was he speaking such words? This wasn't the end, Simon was sure of it.

Kamina's smile erupted forth, as a crazed gleam entered his eyes. Ripping off his Gurren's sunglasses, he threw them forth with all his might, shouting "Certain Kill!" as the sunglasses split into two, pinning both of Thymilph's limbs to one another. Lifting his fist to the skies, the drills on his hand become one, and elongate. "Giga! Drill…!" And with his final breath, the drill became gigantic. "BREAKER!" He shouted as he thrusted the enormous drill ahead of him, which began spinning at high-speeds. As he leaped at Thymilph, Gurren Lagann's body erupted into green flames, turning the attack into a giant drill rocket.

Piercing Thymilph's mech easily, he reduced the size of the drill, and retracted the length of the drill back into Gurren Lagann's body. Kamina slumped over in his chair, a whimsical smile forming on his face. "Goodbye… comrades." He said, as his eyes closed for the last time.

"Brother…?" Was the last thing he heard, as his body drifted through dark space. The flames of his spirit could rest now. He had left Simon with everything he'd need. But he felt an unrest behind his eyes. Slowly opening them, he saw the immaculate artistry of the heaven's constellations. Wasn't he dead?

Sitting up, he found himself in an unfamiliar world. "Where the hell am I…?" He asked himself, as his voice echoed in the night of this dark world.


End file.
